In a rut and don't know what I can/should do?
Discussion
Hi,
Firstly, a little about myself! I am currently feeling a little stuck in life employment wise, I work in the security department for an animal charity and have never been so unhappy/demotivated/stressed in my life. This is the worst place I have EVER worked and I am worried I will never be able to get out!
I was previously the youngest prison officer in the country, however was so disheartened with what I saw I left the service after 2 years. After a couple of years working for a printing company I became an estate agent, rising to senior sales negotiator in my second year, I loved the job in a lot of ways but had no choice but to leave when the market dropped as the commision structure was changed to such an extent it was impossible to make any commision ( I was told by the management I was throwing away a promising career, yet they wouldnt raise my basic so I could survive and promptly shut the office 6 months after I left!)
After spending some time in New Zealand travelling I returned to the UK and took the job I currently have with the animal charity in the security department. I have now been here nearly 4 years
The job suited me when I accepted it but has dramatically changed over the last 18 months for the worse, with the changes being a case of failing to sign any new contract put under my nose being them accepting my notice!
Unfortunately (only from an employment point of view) 14 months ago my partner and I purchased a house, which is in a way what is stopping me leaving where I am now as I cant afford to earn under £20k per year in order to support us.
I am lucky in that I could possibly borrow some money from my parents to start my own business, but have no ideas of what it would be doing! or possibly purchase a franchise?? again not sure what area in though.
I guess Im just feeling a little lost and confused as to what to do, I really cant stay in the job Im doing as it is seriously starting to effect me both mentally and physically, and to some extent ruining the relationships with my partner and step daughter at home
Any advice appreciated..along with any links to any decent jobs around cambridgeshire! ha ha.
Firstly, a little about myself! I am currently feeling a little stuck in life employment wise, I work in the security department for an animal charity and have never been so unhappy/demotivated/stressed in my life. This is the worst place I have EVER worked and I am worried I will never be able to get out!
I was previously the youngest prison officer in the country, however was so disheartened with what I saw I left the service after 2 years. After a couple of years working for a printing company I became an estate agent, rising to senior sales negotiator in my second year, I loved the job in a lot of ways but had no choice but to leave when the market dropped as the commision structure was changed to such an extent it was impossible to make any commision ( I was told by the management I was throwing away a promising career, yet they wouldnt raise my basic so I could survive and promptly shut the office 6 months after I left!)
After spending some time in New Zealand travelling I returned to the UK and took the job I currently have with the animal charity in the security department. I have now been here nearly 4 years
The job suited me when I accepted it but has dramatically changed over the last 18 months for the worse, with the changes being a case of failing to sign any new contract put under my nose being them accepting my notice!Unfortunately (only from an employment point of view) 14 months ago my partner and I purchased a house, which is in a way what is stopping me leaving where I am now as I cant afford to earn under £20k per year in order to support us.
I am lucky in that I could possibly borrow some money from my parents to start my own business, but have no ideas of what it would be doing! or possibly purchase a franchise?? again not sure what area in though.
I guess Im just feeling a little lost and confused as to what to do, I really cant stay in the job Im doing as it is seriously starting to effect me both mentally and physically, and to some extent ruining the relationships with my partner and step daughter at home
Any advice appreciated..along with any links to any decent jobs around cambridgeshire! ha ha.
Have you considered joining one of the armed forces and while there learning a specific trade which to can then apply outside of the military?
What are you A levels like?
I am in my 40s and career changing. luckily I did a degree a while back, so I have been able to use that to help retrain.
There seem to be lots and lots of jobs out there - and if security is your thing, at least you have a specific sector to look at for work.
What are you A levels like?
I am in my 40s and career changing. luckily I did a degree a while back, so I have been able to use that to help retrain.
There seem to be lots and lots of jobs out there - and if security is your thing, at least you have a specific sector to look at for work.
I wouldnt want to join the armede forces, all my friends are coming out now so that boat has sailed!! Im also 30 in a couple of months and don't know if Im too old anyway??
The moving away from home would finish my relationship. Full stop. The reason where I work now is becoming so unbearable is due to the fact I hardly ever see my partner or the little one. I took the security job as a 4 on 4 off job 7am-7pm, then it went to 4 sets of days and 4 sets of 7pm-7am nights, so an equal amount of each, and now is double the night shifts to day shifts!! and to top it off they just gave us a new contract stating they can make us work overtime with 24hours notice if the deem it needed....and refuce to pay anything but my standard hourly rate.
Also, just to explain how sneaky HR are I was asked to work xmas for triple time doing the night shifts....7pm to 7am, when I received my payslip it was £150 odd short. I asked HR why and was told I had only been paid triple time between 7pm and midnight, as "technically after midnight it's no longer xmas day, so we dont have to pay you"!!! however if I had gone home at midnight and said "technically its not xmas anymore" I would have been sacked!! as far as Im concerned that would be the same logic.
The moving away from home would finish my relationship. Full stop. The reason where I work now is becoming so unbearable is due to the fact I hardly ever see my partner
or the little one. I took the security job as a 4 on 4 off job 7am-7pm, then it went to 4 sets of days and 4 sets of 7pm-7am nights, so an equal amount of each, and now is double the night shifts to day shifts!! and to top it off they just gave us a new contract stating they can make us work overtime with 24hours notice if the deem it needed....and refuce to pay anything but my standard hourly rate.Also, just to explain how sneaky HR are I was asked to work xmas for triple time doing the night shifts....7pm to 7am, when I received my payslip it was £150 odd short. I asked HR why and was told I had only been paid triple time between 7pm and midnight, as "technically after midnight it's no longer xmas day, so we dont have to pay you"!!! however if I had gone home at midnight and said "technically its not xmas anymore" I would have been sacked!! as far as Im concerned that would be the same logic.
Why not open your own estate agency but do it properly, no bulls
t valuations to get business in, return phone calls when you say will etc etc. Where I live we have the major chain agencies, but also a couple of smaller owner\operator places, these are the ones doing all the business as they treat people properly and have built up a good reputation. One opened right in the middle of the slump and looks to be thriving.
t valuations to get business in, return phone calls when you say will etc etc. Where I live we have the major chain agencies, but also a couple of smaller owner\operator places, these are the ones doing all the business as they treat people properly and have built up a good reputation. One opened right in the middle of the slump and looks to be thriving.Having a degree doesn't help, I've got 2 and I'm still stuck working for a large supermarket chain, on a 7.5 hour contract, plus any overtime I can get.
Considered the TA for something a bit different? It's good fun, and you get to go back to being a civvy between training weekends and camps, and (if you join the right unit) you can get extra qualifications, like trailer licences, HGV2, HGV1, etc.
Considered the TA for something a bit different? It's good fun, and you get to go back to being a civvy between training weekends and camps, and (if you join the right unit) you can get extra qualifications, like trailer licences, HGV2, HGV1, etc.
johnfm said:
If you have a LOT of security experience, why not look for a better standard of security work?
Is there some training or similar you can do that will enable you to do security work for a higher quality employer?
IME the security industry is not that well paid mate tbh, sure CP work can earn you a fortune but its more ex HMF experienced staff who get the work.Is there some training or similar you can do that will enable you to do security work for a higher quality employer?
I dont particularly want to be in the security industry anyway, its just something I drifted into as the job was avaialble and suited my lifestyle at the time
And as far as Im aware with the execption of close protection 99% of security work is now done @ minimum wage, which is considerably less than Im on now. G4S have saqturated the market with £6.30 p/h guardsIl be honest I havent found being a prison officer has helped my career in any way either, a lot of employers seem to look favourably on ex police but not ex screws!
Im thinking maybe getting back into sales,account management maybe would be a good call? but Im struggling to find any jobs that will pay anywhere near what Im currently earning,for example one job I turned down 3 years ago with a local company was just re-advertised at 4k less starting salary than when I went for it!!
Maybe Im just expecting too much to walk into a 20k basic job with my experience?? I dont know. Thanks for all the replies and advice though
I was really disheartened when I wrote the original post but feeling slightly more positive today! I know its my own fult for being in this position buy purchasing the house...but you have to live somewhereI know how you feel OP.
I worked in the security industry for about 5/6 years, 5 years ago. Since then, whilst still technically employed by the company, I work for a different company in building management services.
I've been given redundancy notice till the end of June this year so am on the look out, but there is so little available unless I'm a manager or something similar.
I've always seen though, that security on a CV is a very bad thing, almost a killer in an application.
I worked in the security industry for about 5/6 years, 5 years ago. Since then, whilst still technically employed by the company, I work for a different company in building management services.
I've been given redundancy notice till the end of June this year so am on the look out, but there is so little available unless I'm a manager or something similar.
I've always seen though, that security on a CV is a very bad thing, almost a killer in an application.
Honestherbert said:
Ha ha, the poice arent recruiting mate, and doubt they will be soon!! Ive been on the waiting list for over a year.
Apart from the two specific roles they are advertising herehttps://atsv7.wcn.co.uk/search_engine/jobs.cgi?SID...
If you really want to make changes, you need to make some positive steps toward change.
Good luck.
Thanks for the link, however unfortunately there is no way I could survive on those wages,I dont think estate agency is a wise move either Im afraid, I still have a couple of friends working in the industry locally and tbh they are both looking for other jobs too due to no longer earning the commission.
Im thinking the best idea may be to stick it out here and try to save enough to be able to afford to learn to train in something else, whilst keeping an eye out for another sales job
Thanks for the input though everyone.
Im thinking the best idea may be to stick it out here and try to save enough to be able to afford to learn to train in something else, whilst keeping an eye out for another sales job
Thanks for the input though everyone.
You know, you've pretty much described the situation I'm in, even down to the sector of work and shifts you suffer!
I'm also in the Security world, doing four-on four-off shifts. The pay is reasonable but quite a lot less than I was getting in my previous Forces job.
I've now found myself in the situation that my missus has left me as we were hardly seeing each other, (between my shifts and her random days off in the retail world meant we were generally ships passing in the night) I can barely afford to live in the house I'm now left renting, and I don't have enough money to get a cheaper place, and due to my shifts, the fact that nobody I work with lives in the town I live in, and I have so little money, I'm pretty much constantly on my own at home and at work, unless I'm in on a weekday day shift. (I now live and work around 150 miles from my home county) Oh, and I also have no car as my Alfa died and I couldn't afford to fix it.
The bank owe me a large sum of dosh, but are being glacial with repaying it - that money is my key to getting out of the rut I'm in, and my ticket to moving back to my home county. Of course, I'll only move if I can find a job.
OP, I take it you want to stay local to Cambridge? Have a search for security companies that operate in your area, but not necessarily in the Guarding / CP areas. My firm is small, but has many large international contracts, as well as a lot of CPO's on the ground. I work within the Operations room which is the hub of the company. I'm no guard, I'm the IT guru, but there are a lot of CPO's that work here from all walks of life.
I'm searching for similar work nearer home, but Security companies such as mine aren't the easiest to find unless you know exactly what you're looking for.
I may be able to do some digging and give you some pointers for local companies if you are interested?
I'm also in the Security world, doing four-on four-off shifts. The pay is reasonable but quite a lot less than I was getting in my previous Forces job.
I've now found myself in the situation that my missus has left me as we were hardly seeing each other, (between my shifts and her random days off in the retail world meant we were generally ships passing in the night) I can barely afford to live in the house I'm now left renting, and I don't have enough money to get a cheaper place, and due to my shifts, the fact that nobody I work with lives in the town I live in, and I have so little money, I'm pretty much constantly on my own at home and at work, unless I'm in on a weekday day shift. (I now live and work around 150 miles from my home county) Oh, and I also have no car as my Alfa died and I couldn't afford to fix it.
The bank owe me a large sum of dosh, but are being glacial with repaying it - that money is my key to getting out of the rut I'm in, and my ticket to moving back to my home county. Of course, I'll only move if I can find a job.
OP, I take it you want to stay local to Cambridge? Have a search for security companies that operate in your area, but not necessarily in the Guarding / CP areas. My firm is small, but has many large international contracts, as well as a lot of CPO's on the ground. I work within the Operations room which is the hub of the company. I'm no guard, I'm the IT guru, but there are a lot of CPO's that work here from all walks of life.
I'm searching for similar work nearer home, but Security companies such as mine aren't the easiest to find unless you know exactly what you're looking for.
I may be able to do some digging and give you some pointers for local companies if you are interested?
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